Crate Training – Protect Your Home and Your Pup

PUPPY PROOFING YOUR HOME BEGINS with controlling your pup’s environment by actively supervising him—or by restricting him to a safe place where he can’t be hurt and can’t do any damage to your home.

How to Begin Crate Training

Put your puppy in the crate in a room in which there are often people. This way,
your puppy will not feel abandoned.

After your puppy has eaten, has had some playtime and exercise and has had a chance to eliminate, it’s time for a little nap or some alone time to play with his
favourite toys. This is your best opportunity to begin crate training.

Give your puppy a chew toy and treats. Start with short periods in the crate with the door open. Then, try closing the door for longer periods.

If your puppy cries, wait for a quiet moment. Then, open the door and give
him a treat. This way, you reward the quiet behaviour, not the whining.

If you try to keep your puppy in a crate overnight, place the crate in a place where you can hear him. If your puppy cries for hours and you don’t respond, he will feel that no one is going to help him. Instead, you want him to learn that the crate is a safe place where good things happen. You can place the crate in your bedroom or set up a
sleeping bag next to the crate for the first couple nights so that your puppy can see
and smell you.

Remember that puppies can’t hold their bladders for very long. Your puppy may
need to be let out to eliminate at night for the first few weeks.